RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 da Silva Fugita, Jaqueline Manzatti A1 Pereira, Thays Benites Camargo A1 Banzato, Ticyana Carone A1 Kitajima, Elliot Watanabe A1 da Souto, Eliezer Rodrigues A1 Bedendo, Ivan PauloYR 2017 T1 Molecular characterization of a phytoplasma affiliated with the 16SrVII group representative of the novel 16SrVII-F subgroup JF International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, VO 67 IS 8 SP 3122 OP 3126 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.001823 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1466-5034, AB Vernonia brasiliana is a wild perennial shrub frequently found in pasture areas. Plants of this species have been observed displaying typical symptoms induced by phytoplasmas, which were characterized by shoot proliferation, deformed leaves and leaf chlorosis. The present study confirmed the presence of phytoplasmas in association with affected plants. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, computer-simulated RFLP analysis and phylogenetic analysis revealed that one of the phytoplasmas identified was representative of novel subgroup. The sequence identity scores between the novel strain and those of previously described ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma fraxini’-related strains was 99 %, while similarity coefficient values were lower than 0.97. These findings provide support to delineate the phytoplasma found in vernonia plants as a reference phytoplasma for a novel subgroup designated 16SrVII-F. This representative of the novel subgroup was denominated VbSP phytoplasma (Vernonia brasiliana Shoot Proliferation; GenBank KX342018). The results of the present study revealed V. brasiliana to be a host of phytoplasmas, evidenced a novel phytoplasma associated with phytoplasmal disease in Brazil and extended the knowledge of the genetic diversity existing within the 16SrVII group., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.001823